pgw.adamselindistress-第7章

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therwise　it　would　have　seemed　incredible　to　him　that　this　could　be　the　same　street　which　a　moment　before　he　had　passed　judgment　upon　and　found　flat　and　uninteresting。　True；　in　its　salient　features　it　had　altered　little。　The　same　number　of　stodgy…looking　people　moved　up　and　down。　The　buildings　retained　their　air　of　not　having　had　a　bath　since　the　days　of　the　Tudors。　　The　east　wind　still　blew。　But；　though　superficially　the　same；　in　reality　Piccadilly　had　altered　pletely。　Before　it　had　been　just　Piccadilly。　Now　it　was　a　golden　street　in　the　City　of　Romance；　a　main　thoroughfare　of　Bagdad；　one　of　the　principal　arteries　of　the　capital　of　Fairyland。　A　rose…coloured　mist　swam　before　George's　eyes。　His　spirits；　so　low　but　a　few　moments　back；　soared　like　a　good　niblick　shot　out　of　the　bunker　of　Gloom。　　The　years　fell　away　from　him　till；　in　an　instant；　from　being　a　rather　poorly　preserved；　liverish　greybeard　of　sixty…five　or　so；　he　became　a　sprightly　lad　of　twenty…one　in　a　world　of　springtime　and　flowers　and　laughing　brooks。　In　other　words；　taking　it　by　and　large；　George　felt　pretty　good。　The　impossible　had　happened；　Heaven　had　sent　him　an　adventure；　and　he　didn't　care　if　it　snowed。
　It　was　possibly　the　rose…coloured　mist　before　his　eyes　that　prevented　him　from　observing　the　hurried　approach　of　a　faultlessly　attired　young　man；　aged　about　twenty…one；　who　during　George's　preparations　for　ensuring　privacy　in　his　cab　had　been　galloping　in　pursuit　in　a　resolute　manner　that　suggested　a　well…dressed　bloodhound　somewhat　overfed　and　out　of　condition。　　Only　when　this　person　stopped　and　began　to　pant　within　a　few　inches　of　his　face　did　he　bee　aware　of　his　existence。
　〃You；　sir！〃　said　the　bloodhound；　removing　a　gleaming　silk　hat；　mopping　a　pink　forehead；　and　replacing　the　luminous　superstructure　once　more　in　position。　〃You；　sir！〃
　Whatever　may　be　said　of　the　possibility　of　love　at　first　sight；　in　which　theory　George　was　now　a　confirmed　believer；　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　an　exactly　opposite　phenomenon　is　of　frequent　occurrence。　After　one　look　at　some　people　even　friendship　is　impossible。　Such　a　one；　in　George's　opinion；　was　this　gurgling　excrescence　underneath　the　silk　hat。　He　prised　in　his　single　person　practically　all　the　qualities　which　George　disliked　most。　He　was；　for　a　young　man；　extraordinarily　obese。　Already　a　second　edition　of　his　chin　had　been　published；　and　the　perfectly…cut　morning　coat　which　encased　his　upper　section　bulged　out　in　an　opulent　semi…circle。　He　wore　a　little　moustache；　which　to　George's　prejudiced　eye　seemed　more　a　plaint　than　a　moustache。　His　face　was　red；　his　manner　dictatorial；　and　he　was　touched　in　the　wind。　Take　him　for　all　in　all　he　looked　like　a　bit　of　bad　news。
　George　had　been　educated　at　Lawrenceville　and　Harvard；　and　had　subsequently　had　the　privilege　of　mixing　socially　with　many　of　New　York's　most　prominent　theatrical　managers；　so　he　knew　how　to　behave　himself。　No　Vere　de　Vere　could　have　exhibited　greater　repose　of　manner。
　〃And　what；〃　he　inquired　suavely；　leaning　a　little　further　out　of　the　cab；　〃is　eating　you；　Bill？〃
　A　messenger　boy；　two　shabby　men　engaged　in　non…essential　industries；　and　a　shop　girl　paused　to　observe　the　scene。　Time　was　not　of　the　essence　to　these　confirmed　sightseers。　The　shop　girl　was　late　already；　so　it　didn't　matter　if　she　was　any　later；　the　messenger　boy　had　nothing　on　hand　except　a　message　marked　〃Important：　Rush〃；　and　as　for　the　two　shabby　men；　their　only　immediate　plans　consisted　of　a　vague　intention　of　getting　to　some　public　house　and　leaning　against　the　wall；　so　George's　time　was　their　time。　One　of　the　pair　put　his　head　on　one　side　and　said：　〃What　ho！〃；　the　other　picked　up　a　cigar　stub　from　the　gutter　and　began　to　smoke。
　〃A　young　lady　just　got　into　your　cab；〃　said　the　stout　young　man。
　〃Surely　not？〃　said　George。
　〃What　the　devil　do　you　meansurely　not？〃
　〃I've　been　in　the　cab　all　the　time；　and　I　should　have　noticed　it。〃
　At　this　juncture　the　block　in　the　traffic　was　relieved；　and　the　cab　bowled　smartly　on　for　some　fifty　yards　when　it　was　again　halted。　George；　protruding　from　the　window　like　a　snail；　was　entertained　by　the　spectacle　of　the　pursuit。　The　hunt　was　up。　　Short　of　throwing　his　head　up　and　baying；　the　stout　young　man　behaved　exactly　as　a　bloodhound　in　similar　circumstances　would　have　conducted　itself。　He　broke　into　a　jerky　gallop；　attended　by　his　self…appointed　associates；　and；　considering　that　the　young　man　was　so　stout；　that　the　messenger　boy　considered　it　unprofessional　to　hurry；　that　the　shop　girl　had　doubts　as　to　whether　sprinting　was　quite　ladylike；　and　that　the　two　Bohemians　were　moving　at　a　quicker　gait　than　a　shuffle　for　the　first　occasion　in　eleven　years；　the　cavalcade　made　good　time。　The　cab　was　still　stationary　when　they　arrived　in　a　body。
　〃Here　he　is；　guv'nor；〃　said　the　messenger　boy；　removing　a　bead　of　perspiration　with　the　rush　message。
　〃Here　he　is；　guv'nor；〃　said　the　non…smoking　Bohemian。　　〃What　oh！〃
　〃Here　I　am！〃　agreed　George　affably。　〃And　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　　The　smoker　spat　appreciatively　at　a　passing　dog。　The　point　seemed　to　him　well　taken。　Not　for　many　a　day　had　he　so　enjoyed　himself。　In　an　arid　world　containing　too　few　goes　of　gin　and　too　many　policemen；　a　world　in　which　the　poor　were　oppressed　and　could　seldom　even　enjoy　a　quiet　cigar　without　having　their　fingers　trodden　upon；　he　found　himself　for　the　moment　contented；　happy；　and　expectant。　This　looked　like　a　row　between　toffs；　and　of　all　things　which　most　intrigued　him　a　row　between　toffs　ranked　highest。
　〃R！〃　he　said　approvingly。　〃Now　you're　torkin'！〃
　The　shop　girl　had　espied　an　acquaintance　in　the　crowd。　She　gave　tongue。
　〃Mordee！　Cummere！　Cummere　quick！　Sumfin'　hap'nin'！〃　Maudie；　acpanied　by　perhaps　a　dozen　more　of　London's　millions；　added　herself　to　the　audience。　These　all　belonged　to　the　class　which　will　gather　round　and　watch　silently　while　a　motorist　mends　a　tyre。　They　are　not　impatient。　They　do　not　call　for　rapid　and　continuous　action。　A　mere　hole　in　the　ground；　which　of　all　sights　is　perhaps　the　least　vivid　and　dramatic；　is　enough　to　grip　their　attention　for　hours　at　a　time。　They　stared　at　George　and　George's　cab　with　unblinking　gaze。　They　did　not　know　what　would　happen　or　when　it　would　happen；　but　they　intended　to　wait　till　something　did　happen。　It　might　be　for　years　or　it　might　be　for　ever；　but　they　meant　to　be　there　when　things　began　to　occur。
　Speculations　became　audible。
　〃Wot　is　it？　'Naccident？〃
　〃Nah！　Gent　'ad　'is　pocket　picked！〃
　〃Two　toffs　'ad　a　scrap！〃
　〃Feller　bilked　the　cabman！〃
　A　sceptic　made　a　cynical　suggestion。
　〃They're　doin'　of　it　for　the　pictures。〃
　The　idea　gained　instant　popularity。
　〃Jear　that？　It's　a　fillum！〃
　〃Wot　o'；　Charlie！〃
　〃The　kemerer's　'idden　in　the　keb。〃
　〃Wot'll　they　be　up　to　next！〃
　A　red…nosed　spectator　with　a　tray　of　collar…studs　harnessed　to　his　stomach　started　another　school　of　thought。　He　spoke　with　decision　as　one　having　authority。
　〃Nothin'　of　the　blinkin'　kind！　The　fat　'un's　bin　'avin'　one　or　two　around　the　corner；　and　it's　gorn　and　got　into　'is　'ead！〃
　The　driver　of　the　cab；　who　till　now　had　been　ostentatiously　unaware　that　there　was　any　sort　of　disturbance　among　the　lower　orders；　suddenly　became　humanly　inquisitive。
　〃What's　it　all　about？〃　he　asked；　swinging　around　and　addressing　George's　head。
　〃Exactly　what　I　want　to　know；〃　said　George。　He　indicated　the　collar…stud　merchant。　〃The　gentleman　over　there　with　the　portable　Woolworth…bargain…counter　seems　to　me　to　have　the　best　theory。〃
　The　stout　young　man；　whose　peculiar　behaviour　had　drawn　all　this　flattering　attention　from　the　many…headed　and　who　appeared　considerably　ruffled　by　the　publicity；　had　been　puffing　noisily　during　the　foregoing　conversation。　Now；　having　recovered　sufficient　breath　to　resume　the　attack；　he　addressed　himself　to　George　once　more。
　〃Damn　you；　sir；　will　you　let　me　look　inside　that　cab？〃
　〃Leave　me；〃　said　George；　〃I　would　be　alone。〃
　〃There　is　a　young　lady　in　that　cab。　I　saw　her　get　in；　and　I　have　been　watching　ever　since；　and　she　has　not　got　out；　so　she　is　there　now。〃
　George　nodded　approval　of　this　close　reasoning。
　〃Your　argument　seems　to　be　without　a　flaw。　But　what　then？　　We　applaud　the　Man